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DEK Builds LLC Launches with $500 Million Committed to Acquire Ski Resorts and Distressed Mountain Assets Across North America


New Cheyenne, Wyoming-based company targets ski resorts, distressed ski assets, and ski real estate, with acquisitions already underway
CHEYENNE, Wyo., August 2026 – DEK Builds LLC today announced its official launch as a new acquisition platform focused exclusively on ski resorts, distressed mountain assets, and ski real estate throughout North America. The company has opened its headquarters in Cheyenne, Wyoming, and will operate across ski markets in the United States and Canada.
DEK Builds has committed $500 million through its family office to fund acquisitions beginning this calendar year, and is actively pursuing a pipeline of ski resort and mountain real estate opportunities, with several acquisitions already in process.
A Dedicated Platform for Mountain Assets
The North American ski industry has consolidated rapidly over the past decade, leaving a growing number of independent, distressed, and undercapitalized resorts in need of an owner who can commit real capital and operating discipline. DEK Builds was formed to be that owner, targeting mountains that have strong bones, whether that’s terrain, vertical, location, or entitlements, but have been held back by deferred maintenance, underinvestment, or ownership groups without the capital or focus to see them through a turnaround.
“There’s a real gap in this market between the handful of large operators consolidating destination resorts and the independent mountains that get left behind,” said Daniel Kaufman, founder of DEK Builds LLC. “We’re built to move into that gap. We know how to buy distressed real estate, we know how to execute a turnaround, and now we’re bringing that discipline to ski resorts and mountain communities across North America.”
What DEK Builds Is Looking For
DEK Builds is actively evaluating acquisition opportunities across the following categories:
Operating ski resorts, including those with deferred maintenance, aging lift infrastructure, or capital-constrained ownership
Distressed and closed ski assets with redevelopment or reopening potential; ski-adjacent real estate, including base area land, resort community parcels, and entitled mountain development sites
Resorts with approved or in process master plan entitlements offering long-term development upside alongside near-term operating turnaround potential
The company is prepared to move quickly on off-market and broker-sourced opportunities alike, with the capital and structuring flexibility to close efficiently.
About DEK Builds LLC
DEK Builds LLC is a Cheyenne, Wyoming-based acquisition platform focused on ski resorts, distressed mountain assets, and ski real estate throughout North America. The company is backed by a $500 million capital commitment from its family office and is led by Daniel Kaufman, founder and CEO, who brings more than 25 years of experience in real estate development, private credit, and distressed asset investment. Learn more at
www.dekbuilds.com.
Media Contact:
Heather Hook
KeyCrew Media
[email protected]
Disclosure: Individuals or companies mentioned may have a commercial relationship with KeyCrew.
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